Phelan
Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Faoláin (“descendant of Faolán”), a hypocoristic form of faol (“wolf”).
Every Phelan since 1949 — 649 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Phelan
Phelan is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #13,402 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1949, 649 American babies have been named Phelan — about 90% boys and 10% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1996, when 26 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Phelan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Phelan year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 5 | #13,402 |
| 2024 | — | — | 8 | #9,651 |
| 2023 | — | — | 8 | #9,534 |
| 2022 | — | — | 8 | #9,620 |
| 2021 | — | — | 13 | #6,585 |
| 2020 | — | — | 10 | #7,922 |
| 2019 | — | — | 6 | #11,779 |
| 2018 | — | — | 9 | #8,652 |
| 2017 | 5 | #17,829 | 13 | #6,578 |
| 2016 | — | — | 6 | #11,781 |
| 2015 | — | — | 11 | #7,408 |
| 2014 | — | — | 13 | #6,543 |
| 2013 | — | — | 11 | #7,420 |
| 2012 | — | — | 8 | #9,490 |
| 2011 | — | — | 11 | #7,375 |
| 2010 | — | — | 7 | #10,469 |
| 2009 | — | — | 9 | #8,820 |
| 2008 | 5 | #19,750 | 10 | #8,142 |
| 2007 | — | — | 17 | #5,375 |
| 2006 | — | — | 10 | #7,860 |
| 2005 | — | — | 12 | #6,517 |
| 2004 | 5 | #18,126 | 12 | #6,417 |
| 2003 | 5 | #17,726 | 10 | #7,104 |
| 2002 | 7 | #13,280 | 12 | #5,981 |
| 2001 | — | — | 11 | #6,333 |
| 2000 | 5 | #16,925 | 12 | #5,822 |
| 1995 | 5 | #15,121 | 20 | #3,404 |
| 1990 | — | — | 16 | #3,732 |
| 1985 | — | — | 6 | #6,318 |
| 1980 | — | — | 7 | #5,358 |
| 1975 | — | — | 7 | #4,660 |
| 1970 | — | — | 9 | #3,457 |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Phelan mean?
Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Faoláin (“descendant of Faolán”), a hypocoristic form of faol (“wolf”).
How popular is the name Phelan in 2025?
Phelan ranked #13,402 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Phelan?
649 babies have been named Phelan in the United States since 1949, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Phelan most popular?
Phelan peaked in 1996, when 26 newborns received the name.
Is Phelan a boy or girl name?
Phelan is used for both: about 10% of babies named Phelan have been girls and 90% boys.
Is the name Phelan rising or falling?
Phelan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.